Petitioners Turn In Enough Signatures To Recall Mesa Councilwoman 

Petitioners Turn In Enough Signatures To Recall Mesa Councilwoman 

by | May 28, 2025 | News

By Staff Reporter |

Mesa Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury may face a special election within the first year of her second term. 

Organizers with Turning Point Action (TPA), the activist arm of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, provided the manpower for the signature gathering effort to initiate Spilsbury’s recall. A resident, JoAnne Robbins, launched the recall effort.

Robbins submitted over 5,200 signatures to remove Spilsbury, according to TPA COO Tyler Bowyer. The recall effort needed about 3,100 signatures by Friday in order to launch a special election. 

Bowyer said Spilsbury was to blame for the declining quality of living and rising cost of living in the area. 

“Julie Spilsbury let Mesa down,” said Bowyer. “She has politicized her office and has voted for terrible things that make Mesa a worse place and more expensive.”

A now-defunct TPA webpage notified Arizonans of “Super Chase Events” to gather signatures for the recall effort. 

Residents blame Spilsbury — a self-identified Republican who endorsed two Democratic candidates last year, Kamala Harris for president and Ruben Gallego for U.S. Senate — for the homelessness crisis plaguing the city. 

Robbins launched the recall based on three specific “yes” votes taken by Spilsbury between 2023 and 2024: approval of a permit to convert a hotel into a homeless housing program, increasing city council salaries, and increasing Mesa utility rates. 

Spilsbury’s main defense of these votes is that two of the three were unanimous. 

Violent crimes have increased over the past five years, with an increase of nearly eight percent in violent crimes in 2024 compared to 2023, per Arizona Department of Public Safety data. Overall crime increased by over two percent from 2023 to 2024. Still, Mesa Police say the city remains one of the safest among large municipalities; Assistant Chief Lee Rankin told the city council during a study session last month that Mesa remains a family-friendly community. 

“While the city has seen a slight 2.5% uptick in crime compared to similarly sized cities, those who live, work, and play in Mesa enjoy a safe and vibrant community,” said Rankin. “With a strong focus on safety measures and community engagement the city continues to be a place where people can thrive and enjoy all the city has to offer.”

Estimates place Mesa’s cost of living at about seven percent higher than the national average, and housing expenses around nine percent higher than the national average.

In response to the recall, Spilsbury issued a rebuttal of the charges against her on her campaign website. 

The councilwoman accused her opponents of being “angry” she defeated their “handpicked candidate” last year and belonging to “an outside special interest group” funded with out-of-state dark money.

Spilsbury laid claim to several changes that occurred since first being elected to the council in 2020: lowered police and fire response times, high quality development, and job creation by the thousands.

“[The recall effort petitioners] don’t care about Mesa, its people, or our issues. And, they are resorting to distortions, misrepresentations, and outright lies to win this time,” stated Spilsbury. 

Spilsbury was reelected by default last November, having defeated her primary opponent Melody Whetstone by a margin of over 30 percent. Spilsbury’s second term runs until 2029. 

Spilsbury chairs the Community and Cultural Development Committee, sits on the Public Safety Committee, and vice chairs the Education and Workforce Development Roundtable. 

Spilsbury also sits on the other following boards and committees: Human Resources and Elections Policy Committee for the Arizona League of City and Towns General Administration, Children’s Alliance Board, idea Museum Board of Directors, MesaCAN Board, Mesa United Way Board of Directors, Arizona Talks Advisory Board, and the Education and Families Council as well as the Finance, Administration, and Intergovernmental Relations Federal Advocacy Committee for the National League of Cities.

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Mesa Voters Work To Recall Self-Identified Republican Council Member 

Mesa Voters Work To Recall Self-Identified Republican Council Member 

by | Feb 21, 2025 | News

By Staff Reporter |

Mesa voters are backing an effort to recall their council member, Julie Spilsbury, a self-identified Republican representing district two. 

The recall effort focuses on several of Spilsbury’s past votes and her support for Democratic candidates last year.

JoAnne Robbins, a resident, filed the petition to recall Spilsbury. Robbins’ petition cited Spilsbury’s past votes approving a permit changing the use of a hotel into a homeless housing program, as well as increasing both city council salaries and citywide utility rates.

Other residents blame Spilsbury and the rest of council for the homelessness nuisance they endure. Earlier this month, failed Mesa mayoral candidate Scott Neely offered a first-person view of his average experience navigating the homeless while driving around the city. 

“My neighborhood is a war zone in Mesa Arizona,” said Neely. “Thank you Julie Spilsbury and Mayor-Elect Mark Freeman for shoving this low income housing down our throats that our neighbors voted against.” 

Spearheading the signature gathering effort is Turning Point Action (TPA). The activist arm of Turning Point USA launched a “super chase” initiative: door knocking efforts to gather enough signatures to oust Spilsbury. TPA has four different events scheduled over the coming week and some odd days. 

The recall effort needs around 3,100 signatures by May 30 in order to launch a special election. 

Spilsbury responded to the recall with a statement on social media pledging her continued commitment to nonpartisanship. She justified her past votes over which the recall participants took offense by citing the wide margin of her reelection victory. Spilsbury also cautioned against supporting a special election due to its costliness. 

“You might not agree with every decision or action I’ve made on the City Council but I have put every part of my heart into this job,” posted Spilsbury on Facebook. “I care deeply for the City of Mesa and for this community that is not only where I grew up but where Jeremy and I decided to raise our 6 kids. I love to serve our community! I care deeply about EVERY person in our city, not just the ones who look like me or think like me. I have tried to vote and make decisions on what is best for our entire city and to be true to what I feel is right in my soul.”

Beyond her voting history, it was Spilsbury’s personal political beliefs that spurred the recall effort. Spilsbury endorsed failed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and successful Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego last year, much to the chagrin of mainstream Republican voters. Spilsbury joined groups like “Republicans for Harris” and “Republicans and Independents for Gallego.” Spilsbury and her husband were featured several times in media reports documenting the Mormon split away from Donald Trump and the Republican Party last year. 

One signature gatherer, Cynthia, reported most voters she met have expressed an overall disappointment in Spilsbury’s representation. 

“They feel betrayed because there was a promise to protect their kids, a promise to protect their community, and a promise to protect their money, and all three of those things she’s turned her back on,” said Cynthia. 

Spilsbury won reelection last summer outright in the primary after the general election was canceled. 

Fellow council member Jennifer Duff also defended Spilsbury after early reports of the recall emerged.

“Julie Wold Spilsbury is an excellent council member, serving in a non partisan position,” posted Duff on Facebook. “Please don’t bring partisanship to city council. It’s actually where government works. I support Julie!  Don’t sign a petition that is destructive to our city council.”

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